Please note that we have added three (3) Digital Art Themes this year. Many members requested this. This year we will have a trial period to judge interest and participation throughout the year. We have also included the Town of Vienna to support their Exhibit.

9/21/2016

Black and White Photography

Portraits

10/19/2016

Photojournalist

Travel

11/16/2016

Landscapes

Digital Art (Nature with Hand of Man-Creative Photography from Original Image

with use of apps, filters, any software

1/18/2017

Textures

Bridges

2/15/2017

Windows

Town of Vienna (To support Town of Vienna Exhibit)

3/15/2017

Music/Performances/Instruments

Digital Art ( Patterns in Architecture-Creative Photography from Original Image)

with use of apps, filters, any software

4/19/2017

Autumn

Digital Art ( Gardens can include Trees/Bushes -Creative Photography from

The monthly themes are listed below with some guidelines. In general, the themed subject does not have to be the only element in the image but it must be the major figurative element and the focus of the image. Use of creativity and imagination is encouraged. The final arbiter of whether a submitted image meets the theme is the judge for the evening. In the meantime, if you have additional questions, please contact Janet Gelb at janet@gelbnet.com

While all of the themes this year are optional, members are encouraged to attempt to participate in the theme categories. Frequently the tendency is to take the same images again and again. Trying to capture an image for a theme will motivate you to experiment with new subjects and ideas.

Creative Digital Art Category: This category will be about creating images from photos that have a painterly or hand drawn appearance. The image should be your own creation and originated from your own photograph. Creative Digital art is an artistic work or practice that uses digital technology as an essential part of the creative or presentation process. The artist’s original photograph is manipulated by using apps, filters and software to create a pictorial digital image from the original.

1. Black and White - In this theme your images should display black and white tones that lack color and include neutral tones of black and white and intermediate shades of grey in a subject of your choosing. Also acceptable are black and white photographs in sepia.

2. Windows - Images should depict an opening in a wall, door, roof of a building or vehicle that is fitted with glass or other transparent material in a frame to admit light or air and allow people to see through.

3. Photojournalist – Is the collecting, editing, and presenting of news material for publication or broadcast that employs images in order to tell a news story. The situation implied by the images should be a fair and accurate representation of the events they depict in both content and tone.

4. Travel - There are many corners of the globe to discover and many exciting destinations to explore. Your images can be local or international travel exhibiting different means of travel or demonstrating different cultures and ways of life, or how to get from one place to another. For example travel by car, train, boat or even a camel.

5. *Digital Art – Using your own photo with apps, filters, and/or various software to create fine art. (Theme: Nature with Hand of Man) This theme can include man-made subjects that appear in nature that enhance the image as secondary elements. Sometimes, they can be the primary elements in a nature image. Therefore, inclusion of man-made object as complementary elements, as in a landscape, can add compositional structure to an image. You may use any apps, filters or software you wish in this theme to enhance or manipulate your original photograph.

6. Landscape - A landscape is a section or portion of scenery as seen from a single viewpoint. Scenery is the subject of a landscape image. Typically, people and animals are not shown in a landscape, unless they are relatively small in the image and have been included in the composition to show scale. Landscape photography shows spaces within the world, sometimes vast and unending, but other times microscopic. For three styles of landscapes, representational, impressionistic and abstract go to: http://www.photographytips.com/page.cfm/77 for tips and techniques.

7. Textures - texture photography, it's all about patterns, colors and depth. Every detail of a texture plays a significant role in the overall perception of the photograph. Texture itself can become the subject in a photograph or it can provide a description of how something might feel. Normally, we describe texture by how something feels to our sense of touch but in a photograph the texture has to appear to leap out and appear as if one could touch it. Strong textures make the subject in an image standout. Look for light raking across the surface of an object to highlight the textural details.

8. Bridges - Bridge photography is a favorite subject for travel andlandscape photographersalike. For bridge and landscape shots you’ll often be recording a long exposure, so to capture sharp shots your camera needs to be perfectly stable. Use a sturdy tripod, and keep it as low to the ground as possible. The best times of day to shoot bridges are during the ‘golden hours’ around sunrise and sunset. The quality of the light during these times can change quickly and dramatically, so be sure to take plenty of shots. Images shot during the golden hours work well in both color and mono. Color is great for showing off a dramatic sunrise or sunset, while mono can add moodiness and atmosphere to shots. And if a bridge is backlit by a bright and colorful sky, try turning it into a dramatic silhouette. Ref: http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/11/08/pictures-of-bridges-10-tips-for-better-bridge-photography/

9. Portraits – Are normally photograph of a person that only includes the person's head and shoulders and provides a detailed description of something or someone. Portraits for this theme may include animals such as dogs and cats as well as people, but not birds, fish or insects.

10. *Town of Vienna - (To support Town of VA Exhibit) Access the Town of Vienna website to see what they usually pick for the calendar. Check out the Town of Vienna Calendar for Annual Town Events and History. Seasonal pictures are appropriate of events are good. Usually images in the horizontal direction are best for the calendar.

11. *Digital Art– Using your original photo with apps, filters, and/or various software to create fine art.( Theme: Patterns in Architecture) Buildings can have many designs, classical, geometric and abstract forms. Use the theme to look closely at buildings and architecture and hone in on interesting lines, circles, angles etc. that render interesting patterns. Look for close-up and macro images that display intriguing or unusual patterns.

12. Music/Performances/Instruments - This category may include music performances or dance performances as well as an actual instrument that can be used to produce music.

13. Autumn – The season of the year between summer and winter when the weather becomes cooler and plants become dormant and the fall foliage becomes beautiful shades or orange, red and yellow. This theme should capture the beauty of this season. Images can be landscapes or signs of the pending or current season.

14. *Digital Art - Using your original photo with apps, filters, and/or various software to create fine art. (Theme Gardens –combined w/ Trees/Bushes) Images of your own garden or a local park such as Meadowlark or Green Springs are a good place to start.You can concentrate on a large area to show the landscape, formal designs in the garden or concentrate on specific trees or bushes. Many gardens have shaped their trees and bushes to form recognizable persons or objects or just have beautiful texture or shapes that stand out. Use your imagination to give your photograph a painterly look or different apps or filters to create something entirely unique.

15. Collections - This theme should be the gathering of like object such as toys, hats, shoes, spoons, buttons, dolls, teddy bears etc. Many people love to collect things or objects. The theme can include anything that someone has gathered or collected as a hobby or just a collection of unique or special objects. This would be a good time to try close up photography.

16. Spring - the season of the year when the weather becomes warmer, leaves and plants start to grow again and flowers appear. Your images should depict spring as the season of new beginnings. Some examples could be, fresh buds blooming, animals awakening or demonstrating the earth coming to life again. Another example could be showing farmers and gardeners planting their seeds as temperatures slowly rise. Anything that depicts the Spring Season to you.

If you have any questions, please contact Janet Gelb at janet@gelbnet.com